In order that we are asking our horse to perform tasks in line with their age and ability, and caring for them in
the appropriate manner, it is important to know roughly how old they are. As this information may not always be known, we need a method
of ageing the horse from the clues within the horse itself.
Factors such as the horse’s condition, appearance and confirmation can act as an age guide, but perhaps the best indicator comes
from studying their teeth. The rate the young horse’s teeth erupt through the gum-line
depends on the age of the horse, therefore, by noting which baby or adult teeth are present, enables us to age the horse up to 5
years. After this, it is possible to look at the shape and surface of the incisors to give us a rough guide to their age.
In ageing the younger horse, we look for the infundibulum or cups, which are shown as large dark circles on the surface of the
incisor tooth. As the tooth is worn down, this disappears from view from the lower central incisor to the upper edge incisor between
the ages of 6 and 11 years. There are similar markings in the older horse, known as dental spots. These are smaller dark spots and
will disappear from view between the ages of 13 and 20 years.
Many other age indicators are present on the horse’s teeth, such as the dental star, a small mark appearing on the incisor surface
at about 8 years of age, and the Galvayne’s Groove, a small indent running down the side of the upper corner incisor, appearing at 10
years and reaching the bottom by 20 years. The shape and angle of the incisors should also be studied, as the steeper the angle and
the more triangular shaped the tooth, the older the horse.
In ageing a horse accurately however, it is important to always look at the whole picture and not just one factor in isolation.
Although there are guidelines depicting how a horse’s teeth should appear at a certain age, the breed, diet, lifestyle and previous
dental care will all have an influence on the teeth. Nevertheless, if all the above points are taken into consideration, it is
possible to gain an idea, within a few years, of the horse’s age.